Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin announced a strategic shift from eWASM to RISC-V during a fireside chat at Pragma Taipei in April 2025. Originally, eWASM was intended to replace the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) due to its limitations. However, delays in implementing "The Merge" and the increasing importance of SNARKs have prompted Ethereum to adopt RISC-V. This architecture is favored for its compatibility with zkEVM implementations, aligning with Ethereum's future goals for enhanced SNARK-friendliness.